Device for circulating or pumping liquids



3 Sheets-Sheet l.

Patented May 14, 1895.-

Ill IIIIIIIRIL (No Model.)

I gab? $1 I 3513 attoznuagw J all \iliulEi-HU In: uunm; PErzRs c0,PHOTO-LITHQ, wnsnmmou. o c.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsF-Sheet 2.

J. T; MORROW- vDEVICE FOR GIRGULATING 0R PUMPING LIQUIDS.' No. 539,074.Patentd Men- 3 14, 1895.

-/II/II///IIA 7///////// I g ammm m: Nonms PETERS c0 FHomLlTna.WASHINGTON. n, c.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

Patented May 14, 1895.

| PETERS. o0. Pnoruu'ma, WASHINGTON. n. c

Urvrrno Tarps PATENT Prion.

JOHN T. MORROW, or GREAT FALLS, MONTANA.

DEVICE FOR CIRCULATING OR PUMPING LIQUIDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,074, dated May 14,1895.

Application filed October 9, 1894. Serial No. 525,385. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. MORROW, of Great Falls, Montana, haveinvented a new and useful Device for Circulating or Pumping Liquids, ofwhich the following is a description, referring to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this specification. The object of theinvention is to pump or circulate liquids, especiallyliquids of an acidnature where a regular discharge or circulation is desired; and while inthe drawings I have-shown one arrangement of tanks through which thecirculation is carried it must not be understood that my invention is inany way restricted to such an arrangement, which I show merely toindicate one of the many applications of my invention.

Briefiymyinvention effects the continuous and almost uniform flow ofliquid from one tank to another by means of two reservoirs which arealternately filled and discharged by means of 'an electricallycontrolled automatic valve which supplies compressed air to thereservoirs or tanks. The valve is actuated by means of two or moresolenoids, or series of solenoids, drawing upon coils or plungerssecured to the valve stem. The pumping reservoirs are placed some whatbelow the level of the liquid to be pumped so that they fill freely whenthe air is allowed to escape. When the valves are at one limit of travelair pressure is admitted to one of the pumping reservoirs, driving theliquid therein through the proper channel into the tank to which theliquid is to be pumped -a check valve closing and preventing the backflow of the liquid into the tank from which the liquid was originallydrawn. solenoids the circuit is closed across a space traversed by theflow of liquid,- and the current so passing controls the position of thevalve, holding it wide open. At the same time,however, the opposingsolenoid is closed through a suitable resistance permitting the flow ofa current too weak to overcome the pull of the other. When, however, theflow from the pumping reservoir or tank is exhausted the circuit formedby the flowing liquid is broken and then the opposing solenoid being,free to act closes the valve of that In this position of the valves andfull operation.

, reservoir and opens slightly the valve into the other reservoirstarting the pulsation in the second reservoir. When theliquid hasfilled the pipe leading to the receiving tank,

the circuit is closed directly through the .flowing liquid as before,and the second solenoid in turn acts to open the valve Wide and at thesame time open the exhaust from the first pumping reservoir.

operation of my invention.

The details of the invention as illustrated in one preferred embodiment,together with certain minor features and objects of the invention, willbe more clearly apparent from the following description and theaccompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View showing the general arrangement of thetanks and apparatus for controlling the discharge or circulation of theliquid, though, as above stated,

it must not be understood that my electromagnetic valve-controllingapparatus for restricted to precisely such an arrangement.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partlyin section,showing the electromagneticreversing mechanism for the valves, together with the valves, 1ncludinga diagrammatic illustration of the electric connections, the whole beingshown in the position when the right-hand pumpingreservoir is commencingits pulsation. Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-section of the valves, shownin the same position as in Fig. 2. Figs. 4: and 5 are elevation andcross-section corresponding to'Figs. 2 and 3, but showing the apparatusin the extreme right-hand position when the right-hand tank or reservoiris in Figs. 6 and 7 are detail plan views of movable switch-contacts foreffecting some of the electric connections.

Throughout the drawings like letters of referenceindicate like parts.

Referring to the general arrangement shown in Fig. 1 B is the tank fromwhich the liquid is to ,be drawn or discharged into the receiving tank 0I will refer to these tanks hereinafter as the discharge tank andreceiving tank respectively.

DZ and Dr are respectively the left and for convenience of descriptionand greater distinction, I will call eggs without intending in any wayto litnit myself by the expression to any precise form.

bl and brare respectively the left and rightmitting the How of theliquid frotn the tank into the eggsbut checking any return flow. Theeggs are air tight and connect with the valve mechanism V by means ofthe pressure pipes d through which air pressure is supplied from asuitablesource E, and through which also the air within the eggs isallowed to exhaust at the proper timeinto the exhaust passage E. Uptakepassages O extend from the bottom of the eggs to the receiving tank O ina position to discharge into the metallic funnels F through a short airspace. The uptakes O and the funnels F are electrically connected with asource of current and with the respective solenoids so that thedischarge -of the liquid across the space between the mouth of theuptake pipe and its corresponding funnel closes the electric circuit anden ergizes the solenoid, as will more fully appear from the otherfigures. From Fig. 1, however, it will be seen that when the exhaust isopen from one of the eggs it will be filled from the tank 13, and whileso filling the other egg previously filled may be discharged by pressurethrough its pressure pipe and the liquid pass through the correspondinguptake into the tank 0'.

In Figs. 2 and 3 details of the valves and electrical connections areclearly apparent. The valve proper '0 may be a slide valve as shown, theadmission passage being indicated at E and the exhaust at E. The rightand left hand pressure connections are shown respectively at CH and dr.The valve stem is indicated at Gand the solenoid cores or plungers byII. At J are shown a pair of terminals or leading-in wires from abattery or any convenient source of electric energy. One terminal, whichfor convenience I will call the positive, is connected to the funnels Fby .meaus of the conductors f, and to the two snap switches, which willbe presently described, by means of the conductors m. From theseswitches the conductors m lead through resistance N to one terminals ofeach of the re spective solenoids S. The same terminals 8 are connectedwith the uptake pipes C. The other terminals T of the solenoids areconnected by t directly to the negative conductor J. When the valves arein the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it is clear that the compressedair will be admitted from the supply pipe E through the port dr and intothe right hand eggDr. This will force the liquid through the uptake Cr.It will be noticed that the port (Zr is very slightly opened, therebypreventing a rush of theliquid until the pressure of the column withinthe uptake has been established. When, however, theliquid begins to Howfrom the mouth of the uptake into the funnel F r the electricalconnection is com pleted between the uptake and the funnel and the fullforce of the current flows through the right-hand solenoid S7.. Theelectric circuit is from the positive wire J through the conductor f tothe funnel Fr, thence through the flowing liquid to the uptake Cr and bythe conductor 5 into I the terminal 8 of the solenoid Sr and thence backto the negative conductor J by way of terminalT and conductor 25. Therebeing no resistance save that of the solenoid core and of theconductors, the maximum current Howe and the solenoid core Hr is drawnto the right opening the valve 1 wide and admitting the full pressure tothe right-handegg Dr.

I will now describe the switching mechanism by which the circuit is madeand broken through the resistance N.

Fig. 4, as already described, illustrates the extreme right-handposition of all the parts.

Figs. 6 and 7 are plan views of certain details of shifting mechanism bywhich the switch plates P are shifted laterally into and out of the pathof the snap switch contacts O.

At h are shown the brackets or standards carrying the right andleft-hand snap switches OZ, Or. The actuating springs for the snapswitches are shown at 0, the controlling triggers at Q, the releases forthe triggers at Q, and the cooking rods at II. In the figure the snapswitch 01" has just been cooked by com ing into contact and compressingits spring against the cocking rod U. The extreme motion to the rightcauses the stationary release Q to clear the trigger Q allowing it tofall and catch the switch. The other switch OZ is shown at the otherlimit of its motion, the trigger still holding the spring compressed andready to release when moved sufficiently to the left to come intocontact with its release Q. The switch plates P are each mounted upon apiece of ebonite, or other insulation, and travel laterally ortransversely upon the slides 19. The transverse sliding movement iseffected by means of the bell crank levers K, the free ends 7; beingalternately broughtin contact with the tappcts 71: which move with thebrackets h and the solenoid cores, turning the belleranks and giving atransverse motion to the other arms. This transverse movement istransmitted to the respective switch plates P by means of tho projectingrods or arms 19' connected by a pin-and-slot or other loose connectionwith the bell crank levers and carried by the blocks of insulatingmaterial. Then the valves are in the extreme right-hand position, as inFig. 4,'tl1e plate Pl is drawn into line with the snap IEO ' close theswitch.

switch contact OZ, the tip of the contact OZ being clearly indicated inFig. 7. With the other switch plate Pr, however, the reverse actiontakes place the plate being moved out of the line of travel of the snapswitch contact Or. Thus at the extreme right-hand travel of the valvesthe switch plate PZ is thrown into contact with the snap switch contactOZ and the circuit of the left-hand solenoid SZ closed through theresistance NZ. At the same time the switch contact plate P-r is movedout of line with its snap switch contact Or so that the returningmovement of the valves toward the central position will not Of course inthe extreme left-hand position the plate Pr is shifted in turninto linewith its contact, closing the circuit through the resistance N7" and theright-hand solenoid, while the plate PZ is drawn out of line with itsswitch contact so that when the valve action moves again to the righttoward the central position its con-' tact will not be closed.

Figs. 6 and 7' correspond on a larger scale and in plan View to theposition shown in Fig. 4 in elevation, but the bell cranks K and theirconnections, which would appear in the background of Fig. 4, are omittedthereform for the sake of clearness, the movable tappets' is wide open,the position forthe left-hand valve just opening and the left-hand valvewide open would be in all respects but an inversion of theviews shownand are thereforesupertluous. In describingtheoperation ofthe snapswitches, however, I will start from the extreme left-hand position ofall the parts following their action and tracing out their successivemotions into the two positions shown respectively in Figs. 2 and 3 andin Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7.

YVhen the current flowing through the lefthand funnel FZ breaksandde-energizes the left-hand solenoid,.the weaker current flowing inthe right-hand solenoid through its resistance Nr in a manner exactlysimilar to that described in connection with the left-hand solenoid SZ,draws the parts to the right toward the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3.Upon reaching the position shown in Figs. 2

, and3 the snap switch 01' is released by its trigger Q coming intocontact with the stationary release Q and the switch snaps from itscontact plate Pr breaking the circuit through the resistance N7" and theright-hand solenoid and leaving both solenoids de-energized. At thisposition, however, which is slightly to the right of the centralposition of the valves, the admission of air from the supply pipe E intothe port dZ of the left-hand egg DZ is checked and the right-hand portdr slightly opened, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The pressure of. the air flowing down the corresponding passage cZ intothe right-hand egg drcloses the check valve in the intake hr and. forcesthe liquid within Dr gently through the uptake Cr and funnel Fr into thetank 0'. As soon as the flow is established between the intake Or andits funnel Fr the circuit is thereby closed directly through theright-hand solenoid and the valve drawn strongly to the right to itsextreme position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This clearly opens wide theport dr and permits the exhaust of the air within the left-hand egg allthrough its pressure pipe and port all into the exhaust passage EZ. Atthe same time this extreme motion to the right has brought the switch OZ(which was cooked in its extreme left-hand position) to its righthandlimit; and. brought the corresponding contactplate PZ into contact withit by shifting the bell crank. lever K by means of the tappet Zcl,allclearly shown in Fig. 7. The closing of the switch-OZ, PZ,establishes the minimum current in the left-hand solenoid SZ, thecircuit being through the conductor m, switch and switchplate OZ, PZ,resistance NZ, solenoid, and conductor 15. At the same time the switchOr has been cocked by coming into contact with its cocking rod U, andits hammer becoming clear of the release UZ drops into place, ready forthe left-hand cycle. Upon the cessation of flow into the funnel Fr thecircuit through the right-hand solenoid is again broken and by the pulldue to the minimum current in SZ the other half of the complete cyclerepeats itself in a mannersubstantially similar but of course thereverse of that already described while the valve was being movedsuccessively to the right. When, therefore, the liquid is blown out ofone of the eggs, the air pressure'is at once shut 0E from it and theadmission to the other egg slightly opened. As soonas the electriccircuit is closed by the flow of the liquid into the funnel of thissecond egg, the admission is opened wide and-the exhaust from the firstegg takes place, such egg'being filled (either by the gravity of theliquid or by the application of a vacuum exhaust) from the dischargetank B. The maximum pull of one solenoid, when energized through theflowing liquid, need not exceed the minimum of the other by any greatamount; so that the resistance N may be small. Any electrical equivalentfor the resistance may of course be introduced, such, for instance, asusing separate coils upon the solenoid of less ampere turns than thoseenergized directly through the funnels and flowing liquid. So also manyother equivalents, both electrical and mechanical, may be substituted-inmyinvention without in any way interfering with its principles, and Ihave purposely omitted the enumeration of these, as well as many detailsof construction, because to set these forth at lengtn would obscurerather than make clear the more essential features of my device.

I believe I am the first to accomplish certain of my results, as well asthe first to construct my apparatus for accomplishing them, andtherefore I claim, broadly, and desire to secure by these LettersPatent, together with all such modifications, substitutions, andadditions as may be made by mere skill, electrical or mechanical, andwith only the limitations expressed or by law implied in view of therelated art, the following:

1. In a device for pumping liquids, the pair of eggs D, the intake anduptake passages therefor, the pressure connections (1, controlling valveor valves and exhaust and supply pipes, the receiving reservoir or tank0', in combination with the oppositely acting solenoids and cores, thesnap switches, and connections with a suitable current source, and thecontrolling circuits completed through theliquid flowing in or from therespective uptakes and broken when such flow ceases, substantially asdescribed.

2. In combination in or with an electromagnetic device for pumping orcontrolling the pumping of liquids, a controlling circuit thereforcompleted through the flowing liquid and broken upon the cessation offlow, substantially as set forth.

3. The electromagnetic shifting mechanism for governing the circulationof liquids, consisting of oppositely acting solenoids and cores, andcontrolling circuits therefor, one circuit of each. solenoid beingcompleted through a switch actuated by the movement of the solenoidcores, and a second incomplete circuit for each solenoid arranged to beclosed by the passage of the liquid across the break in such circuit,substantially as set forth.

a. The electromagnetic shifting mechanism for governing the circulationof liquids consisting of oppositely acting solenoids and cores, andcontrolling circuits therefor, one circuit of each solenoid beingcompleted through a switch actuated by the movement of the solenoidcores, and a second incomplete circuit for each solenoid arranged to beclosed by the passage of the liquid across the break in such circuit,the said switches being arranged to be closed when the cores are drawnfarthest out from the corresponding solenoid and opened by the returnmovement of the cores somewhat more than half way, and means controlledby the said solenoid cores for alternately forcing the said liquidthrough passages and across the breaks in the said incomplete circuitswhereby alternate pulsations of the liquid may take place at firstgently and then full force, and the reversal of the said device occurupon the cessation of each pulsation or flow, substantially as setforth.

5. The electromagnetic shifting mechanism for governing the circulationof liquids, consisting of oppositely acting solenoids and cores, andcontrolling circuits therefor, one

circuit of each solenoid being completed through a switch actuated bythe movement of the solenoid cores, and a second incomplete circuit foreach solenoid arranged to be closed by the passage of the liquid acrossthe break in such circuit, the circuits through the said switches beingof weaker edect upon the solenoid cores than the other circuits,substantially as set forth.

6. The pair of solenoids and coresfor actuating a shifting device, andelectric circuits for drawing the said cores toward one or the other ofthe said solenoids alternately, in combination with the second circuitsfor the said solenoids containing the switches and resistances, the saidswitches being actuated by the motion of the solenoid cores,substantially as set forth.

7. The movable switch plate P, co-operatiug snap switch contact 0, andsolenoid circuit controlled thereby, in combination with means actuatedby the said solenoid for snapping and cooking the said switch and forgiving travel to the said movable switch plate, substantially as setforth.

8. The double Valve for controlling the admission and exhaust to andfrom two ports (Zr, (11, the pair of solenoids acting upon the saidvalve, and connections and means for energizing the said solenoidsalternately weakly and then strongly, thereby opening the ad missionslightly and then fully to each of the said ports and exhausting fromthe other, sub stantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofl have hereunto set my hand, at Great Falls,Montana, this 20th day of September, 189i.

JOHN T. MORROW.

\Vitnesses:

R. H. OLIVER, (J. P. HADLEY.

